Suicide cases among Daikundi women on the rise

NEILI (Pajhwok): Providing contradictory figures, provincial officials in central Daikundi province have said cases of suicide among women and violence against the gender have increased in the province.

Daikundi is a traditional province where 40 percent of people live are poverty-stricken, according to statistics.

The women in Daikundi also face economic issues, lack access to social prosperity, education and are subjected to domestic violence.

Jawad Dadgar, head of Afghanistan Independent Human Rights Commission (AIHRC) for Daikundi, said 310 cases of violence against women were registered with his office since the beginning of the current solar year.

While the cases of violence registered during the entire last year were 238, and so far 310 cases had surfaced during the first eight months of the current year (since March 22).

Contradictory statistics about violence against women

Daikundi women’s affairs department also said violence against women and suicide cases among the gender had increased in the province.

Zakia Rezai, head the department, they had registered 153 cases of violence against women since the beginning of the current solar year.

She said the cases included committing suicide by six women. Her department last year registered 164 cases of violence against women, compared to 153 cases in eight months of current year.

On the other hand, officials in Daikundi Civil Hospital, said suicide cases among both men and women had increased in the province.

They said 44 women and seven men who attempted suicide this year were brought to the hospital, with one man and one woman losing their lives.

Dr. Khan Mohammad Hamta, a doctor in the hospital, said most of the people who attempted suicide were aged between 15 and 30 years.

Najiba, 19, a resident of Daikundi province, who attempted suicide but survived, said: “My family wanted to forcibly marry me to a man who I did not like, that was the reason I tried to end my life, but I survived and my family agreed with me.”

Seema, a resident of Kuhna Deh Tamran village of Kiti district, ended her life after knowing her lover was engaged to another girl.

Laila Hussaini, a women rights activist in Daikundi, said domestic problems including separation from husbands, violence, polygamy and bad treatment in family prompted women to take the extreme step.

She asked women’s rights groups to help resolve problems women faced in the province and create awareness through media and mosques. She asked the government to generate jobs for both women and men.